# Cutting Pandemic-Surge EC Inquiries in Half

- Inquiries reduced 50% from pre-implementation levels
- Inquiry rate (inquiries ÷ orders) down 2 points in the first month
- Customer response time cut in half
- FAQ page sessions doubled

Belluna runs catalog and online retail across apparel, accessories, and home goods, serving primarily women aged 40-70. During the pandemic, stay-at-home demand pushed EC inquiries past 10,000 per month. The team grew to ~70 operators and still couldn't keep up: managers were answering email themselves, and there was no time left to fix the root cause.

## The Challenge

The existing FAQ had no search, the chatbot had gone unmaintained, and some routine needs (stopping a newsletter, reissuing a payment slip) forced a support contact, artificially inflating volume.

![Inside a Belluna store](https://n4h88u4sldz4wmyd.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/images/belluna_body.jpg)

## Why Helpfeel

Triggered by a 2023 redesign of the Belluna Online Store, the team evaluated FAQ systems on maintenance ease, search speed, and support quality. Helpfeel won on all three (especially handling of variant spellings and phrasing), and the structured Customer Success support mattered for a team with little FAQ experience.

## What They Did

Rewrote dense, formal articles into concise, friendly copy with images during migration.

Used popups to surface the FAQ where customers get stuck.

Embedded Helpfeel inside the inquiry form ("chasing FAQ"): articles appear in real time as customers type, promoting self-resolution up to submission.

Boldly removed the legacy "Usage Guide" entirely, consolidating all guidance into the FAQ (data confirmed customers self-resolved).

## Results

Inquiries fell 50%, response time halved, and FAQ sessions doubled. With routine load gone, the team built an inquiry-analysis framework and front-line operators began proactively proposing improvements, a cultural shift unthinkable during the overload period.